Newsletter for the Rotary Club of Greater Geraldton - Issue No.: 808 Issue Date: 28 Oct, 2024

GUEST SPEAKER:

Don Rolston formally introduced our guest speaker, Trudy Cornish, the Head of Library Services and The Art Gallery, who gave us a short but intriguing history of the Art Gallery.

The original Art Gallery was the Masonic Lodge in Marine Terrace (now gone) and championed by Charles Gray in 1894.

The current Town Hall was built in 1907 and has undergone several transformations over time. It was the centre of the town’s social scene holding balls and dances for many years including the war years.

In 1949, benefactor Claude Hodgkin donated several artworks of well known artists which were displayed in the building.

In 1984 it became the Art Gallery and underwent internal works to enable exhibitions to be held as an A Class Gallery.

2017 saw the Gallery handed over to the City. It holds a regular Art Prize and is currently undergoing a garden development.

There is an emphasis on Public Art (outside the building). These works include The Sydney Memorial with all its symbolism, the Horizon Sculpture (hopefully back at the end of 2022), Zephyr, Emu Egg and murals.

The current planning is to commission a large mural on the back wall of the Gallery estimated to cost $60K - $70K. Some public funding will be sought. (Maybe Rotary !!)

A vote of thanks, together with the Gift of Polio Vaccination Certificate, was offered by Bob Symington.